Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki

Ceanothus

Revision as of 05:04, 17 June 2009 by Raffi (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)


Ceanothus americanus flowers


Plant Characteristics
Origin: ✈ ?
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ ?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water: ◍ ?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Scientific Names

Rhamnaceae >

Ceanothus >



Read about Ceanothus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Ceanothus (ancient Greek name). Rhamnaceae. Ornamental woody plants grown for their profusely produced white, blue or pink flower-clusters.

Deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees: lvs. alternate or sometimes opposite, short-petioled. serrate or entire, usually 3 - nerved, with small stipules: fls. perfect, small. 5-merous, in small umbels forming panicles or racemes; sepals often incurved, colored; petals clawed, spreading or recurved; filaments slender; disk annular; ovary partly adnate to the calyx-tube, 3-celled; style 3-cleft: fr. a 3-celled drupe, dry at length and separating into 3 one- seeded dehiscent nutlets.— Nearly 50 species in N. Amer., chiefly in the Pacific coast region.

These are free-flowering shrubs, some especially valuable for their late flowering period. Many of them are hardy only in the warmer temperate regions, but C. americanus, C. ovatus, and C. Fendleri are hardy North, while the numerous hybrids of C. americanus are only half hardy, and even if protected they are killed to the ground in the North, but the young shoots will usually flower the same season. The safest way, however, to have good free-flowering plants of these beautiful hybrids will be, in the North, to dig them up in fall, store them away in a frost-proof pit or cellar, and plant them out again in spring. Pruning of the late-flowering species will be of advantage; about one-half of last year's growth may be taken away. They grow in almost any soil, but best in a light and well-drained one, and most of the Californian species prefer a sunny position. Propagated by seeds sown in spring and by cuttings of mature wood in autumn, inserted in a cold- frame or greenhouse; softwood cuttings also grow readily if taken in early spring from forced plants. Sometimes increased by layers, and the varieties and hybrids by grafting on roots of C. americanus under glass in early spring; the cions must be fresh and with leaves, taken from plants kept in the greenhouse during the winter.CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

Do you have cultivation info on this plant? Edit this section!

Propagation

Propagation of Ceanothus is by seed, following scarification and stratification. Seeds are soaked in water for 12 hours followed by chilling at 1 °C for one to three months. It can also sprout from roots and/or stems [2]. Seeds are stored in duff in large quantities. It is estimated that there are about two million seeds per acre in forest habitats [3]. Seed are dispersed propulsively from capsules and, it has been estimated, can remain viable for about a hundred yearswp.

Pests and diseases

Do you have pest and disease info on this plant? Edit this section!

Species

Selected specieswp


Read about Ceanothus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

C. africanus, Linn. (syn.Noltea Africana).―C. dentatus, Torr.& Gray. Low shrub:lvs. oblong, penninerved, dentate, glandular-papillate above, loosely hairy: fls. Blue, in peduncled clusters. Calif. F.S. 6:567. 2. B.H. 3:101.―C. dentatus var. floribundus, Trel. (C. floribundus, Hook.). Fl-clusters numerous, nearly sessile: lvs. smaller. B.M. 4806. F.S. 10:977. I.H. 7:238. B.H. 5:129.—C. foliosus, Parry. Low shrub: lvs. small, broadly elliptic, glandular-toothed, slightly hairy, pale or glaucous beneath: fls. deep blue, in numerous small clusters. Calif.—C. laevigatus, Douglas. Tall shrub: lvs. broadly elliptic, serrate, glabrous, glaucous beneath: fls. yellowish white, in large panicles. Calif.—C. microphyllus, Michx. Low shrub: lvs. very small, obovate or elliptic, nearly glabrous: fls. white, in small, short-peduncled clusters.—C. papillosus, Torr. & Gray. Low shrub: lvs. narrow-oblong, dentate, glandular-papillate above, villous beneath: fls. deep blue, in peduncled, axillary oblong clusters. Calif. B.M. 4815. F.S. 6:567, 1. P.F.G. 1, p. 74 R.H. 1850:321.—C. Parryi, Trel. Large shrub: lvs. elliptic or ovate, denticulate, cobwebby beneath: fls. deep blue, in peduncled, narrow panicles. Calif.—C. rigidus, Nutt. Rigid, much-branched shrub: lvs. opposite, cuneate-obovate, denticulate, usually glabrous, small: fls. blue, in small, nearly sessile, axillary clusters. Calif. B.M. 4660 (as C. verrucosus) and 4664. J.F. 3:316; 4:348.—C. verrucosus, Nutt. Low shrub: lvs. mostly alternate, roundish obovate, emarginated, denticulate, nearly glabrous, small: fls. white, in small, axillary clusters along the branches, Calif.—C. verrucosus, Hook.(syn. C. rigidus.CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Gallery

If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.

  • Flowers of Ceanothus cuneatus

  • Ceanothus americanus (fruit left, flowers right)

  • photo 3

References

External links


Retrieved from "http://gardenology.mywikis.net/w/index.php?title=Ceanothus&oldid=26686"